To the new ownership and track promoters of sunset speedway,

first off my name is Mike Smith and i am a long time race fan dating back to the days of when the shakell family owned the speedway i have enjoyed many exciting racing experiences over the years many rivalries and seen many great drivers start out at sunset speedway such as the likes of Mr.Dilley from Tom milligan and Tom Walters to Joe Whittaker, Dave Bartlett, Vic Parsons, John Gaunt the list could go on and on and on this speedways has been the home to a lot of great drivers in the past as well as the present and as we all know ever since Barrie speedway reopened it has caused this speedway a lot of heartache since then now I'm not knocking Barrie in any way shape or form so please don't get the wrong idea i believe it is a great speedway as well...but the past 2 owners have brought this speedway down almost to extinction for various reasons and that is meant in no disrespect to them whatsoever it just seemed that sooner or later sunset was going to be a property development or a "ghost track" and sit unused and die a slow death....it just seemed inevitable and I'm sure many people whether you were a fan over the years or a driver, crew, track staff...etc. everyone must have had a gut wrenching feeling that sunset was about to meet its demise especially with the onslaught of this economy, but i will tell you something i walked into that speedway tonight and it was almost as if there was this aura there like a 10 year curse had been imposed on the premises and lifted this night May 16th 2009 and as i go about my evening at the speedway i see a familiar face in Steve Slaughter Sr. and well it felt like home again...like my home away from home if you may i have been a patron for years and there was just this something special just this feeling when i walked in those gates that i just cant explain almost like i had been lost for years and finally found my way back to my family and then i hear about the plans for the future of this speedway and it literally brought a tear to my eye and i thought to myself finally there was someone in this world in this area kind hearted enough to take on such a large task in giving Sunset Speedway one last chance...almost a final hurrah if you may i don't mean to act all emotional here but i feel that this is Sunset's last ride and i believe in these guys/gals they have the right pieces in place and they obviously have big hearts so i personally would like to thank you and i really hope you read this not only Mr.Dilley and Mr.Slaughter but the ownership group as well please refer them to this or print it out and show them this letter because i want to say Thank
You...Thank You For taking on this wounded speedway and having a heart of gold to nurse it back to that place it once used to be thank you to Mark Dilley, thank you Steve Slaughter Sr. and thank you Ownership Group whomever you may be you see this speedway has a special place in my heart and it always will....dare i say that this speedway should be a protected landmark i want to be able to take my grandkids there and them to take their children etc...

One Last Time To A Few Kind Souls...

Thank You

Sincerely,

Long Time Patron and Racing Enthusiast

Mike Smith.

Cheers